San Lawrenz primary in Gozo employs two janitors and three watchmen, despite having just 43 pupils, which makes it the school with the smallest population.

Were this not enough, another janitor was posted at the school last week, despite a National Audit Office report that queried the financial viability of small State primary schools.

According to the NAO report for the scholastic year 2013/2014, the cost per student at the San Lawrenz primary school was €9,000, almost three times the national average. The report had argued it made more financial sense to amalgamate certain schools with very small student populations.

The Education Ministry defended the posting of a new janitor. A spokesman insisted the posting was of a temporary nature and part of a scheme administered by the Employment and Training Corporation. The deployment was made to cover the general cleaning that had needed to be made throughout the summer after the end of the scholastic year, he added.

The ministry said cleaning was also required as a result of refurbishment works that took place in parts of the building and the use of the school for Skola Sajf. 

The woman was assigned to the school through the community work scheme managed by the ETC. The programme gives unemployed people seeking employment, who are in receipt of employment benefits, a work experience.